lining the stars up in singlefile
by chasingafterstarlight
Summary: because all you really need is to reach your sky, and nothing is impossible, ever. Even if you were meant to be or whatever. Valentine's Day fic, MollyLysander, for my six tuplets.


**lining up the stars in single-file**

_Molly/Lysander_

When they're young and innocent, they sit on the swings and swing until they can almost fly away.

"What do you want to do when you grow up?" Lysander whispers, voice filling the open atmosphere, breaking the silence.

Smiling, Molly turns to him. "I want to reach for the sky, Lysander." It's up there, wide and intricate and beyond belief, colours filling the spaces between the clouds. It's so far away and unavailable that it becomes her new goal to touch it, if just once, because she's always been one for bending boundaries.

"That's impossible," he scoffs, and really, she knows it is, but can't he just believe for once?

"Anything is possible," she replies, face flushed in anger. Then, head still held high, she walks away.

…

One day when they're ten years old and about to go to Hogwarts, it's Valentine's day, and their parents drag them to the park with the rest of the Weasley/ Potter/ Scamander/ Lupin clan.

Walking up to him, she smiles, red hair freshly curled and eyes bright. "Happy Valentine's Day, Lysander." She presents him with a Valentine she's made.

With chubby hands, he takes it from her, smiling. "Thank you, Molly. Here's yours- wait! I'm gonna give you something with it."

Running off to the bushes, he gathers a handful of flowers in one chubby hand, then returns. Hand outstretched, he offers her the Valentine. He then tucks one gold flower behind her ear.

"Gold," he tells her happily. "Because we're both going to be Gryffindor."

"The sky is gold," Molly tells him, a bit dreamily. "At night, during the sunset."

"Are you still on that, Dreamer?" He wonders, playfully giving her a nickname. "The sky, it's way up there, and we're down _here_."

"Doesn't mean we can't reach for it." Molly sighs, tracing a pattern in the dirt with her shoe. Glancing up at him, she asks, "Lysander, if we as humans refused to do everything that people told us was impossible, where would we be now?"

"Way behind or nonexistent," Lysander answers, head bent down. "But Molls, the sky is just a bunch of open atmosphere, there's no way you can touch it."

"I can go on a Muggle airplane," Molly responds, ignoring his comment. "I could go skydiving like the Muggles, or even ride a broomstick to the sky! It's entirely possible, I'd say."

He cocks his head, blue eyes focusing intently on her. "You don't even like Quidditch."

"Who said anything about Quidditch?" She replies breezily, grinning at him.

Smiling back at her politely, he just shakes his head and walks away to give out the rest of his valentines, giving her time to read his card.

_Dear Dreamer,_

_We're going to Hogwarts next year together. Should be exciting. And we'll both be in Gryffindor, unless the hat messes up and sticks you in Ravenclaw._

_One day, I'm sure you'll find a way to reach the sky._

_But for now, it's all but impossible._

_I love you... you know, like a best friend. Dad says that's what you say to girls on Valentine's Day._

_Love, _

_Lysander_

Face lighting up, she tucks the card into her pocket and grins up at the sky.

He's right. She'll find a way to reach her sky, someday.

….

The next year, they start at Hogwarts, and as Lysander predicted, they're both in Gryffindor, and they both have 'sky-gold' and burgundy scarves tied round their necks. But, as Molly constantly tells Lysander, Molly's jealous of Lorcan because his _blue-and-brown_ Ravenclaw scarf has a blue that's the same colour as the sky.

Scoffing, Lysander just says, "Well, go trade scarves with Lorcan then."

Molly just laughs. "Even as much as I love the sky, I'm still _proud_ to be a Gryffindor."

The year passes extremely fast, and on Valentine's Day, Lysander grabs Molly's hand. "Come on, Dreamer, I've got something to show you."

Curiously, she follows him out to the broom shed, where they store the first-years' brooms that they can't use. Pointing his wand at it, he says, "_Alohomora!_"

"This is _so_ illegal, Lysander," Molly whispers, tugging on his arm.

"Who cares, Molly?" Lysander grins at her. "We're Gryffindor. We're expected to break the law."

Shaking her head, Molly answers, "No, Slytherins are expected to _break the law. _Bravery doesn't mean evil, Lys."

"It's not evil," Lysander grins at her. "It's just having fun, Dreamer."

"Fun?" She shrieks, face looking murderous. "Sneaking into the broom closet when, as first years, we're not allowed to have brooms? Is this what you call _fun_?"

"Calm down," Lysander grabs her arm, pulling her into the closet. He grabs a broom, and then walks back on. Getting on it horse-style, he commands, "Get on behind me."

"_What_?" Molly inquires, as if she can't hear.

"Get on behind me," He repeats.

Chuckling nervously, she tells him, "Um, I'm not a Quidditch player; I'm not a big fan of heights. What if I fall off? You'll be the one to blame."

"Just get on," He grins at her, dimples in his cheeks standing out. "Do you trust me? I'm not going to let you fall off. Come on, take a risk for once, it'll all pay off in the end."

"Fine," She crosses her arms tightly across her chest. Then, heaving a sigh, she uncrosses her arms and clambers on to the broom behind him. Slowly, she leans in and wraps her arms around his back, laying her small head on her chest and squeezing her eyes shut. "All right. You can go now."

Snickering, he kicks off, and the broom flies into the open skies. Air whooshes past them, blowing his brown locks and her red curls back in the wind. There's a feeling of exhilaration flowing through both of them, so when he yells, "Mind if I go a bit higher?", she quickly agrees.

They're so high now that if she reaches out, she can _almost_ touch the sky. It's flying through her fingertips, and this is the closest she's ever been to it. It's so _real_ but still so far away.

Suddenly, he dips back down again, air and pieces of _sky_ still flowing through their hair. She loosens her grip on her back, and since she's still a first year, young and innocent and all, she leans in and inhales his scent. It smells like cinnamon and starshine _(even though that's not a smell_), and she likes it.

Once he finally lands on the ground, he helps her off and then grins. "How was that, then?"

"Amazing," she replies with a blush. "I should break the rules more often.

….

That year for Valentine's Day, he gives her a card with a picture of the sky and a broom on it. The silver print says _You make me fly high, Valentine._

Inside, in his untidy script, is scribbled:

_Dear Molly_,

_Thought I'd send you this, my Gryffindor best friend, because I had a lot of fun 'flying' with you. And yeah, because you're awesome. Just thought you should know._

_Fancy doing it again sometime? It's on me. _

_Love you like my best friend._

_Love, _

_Lysander_

Folding it up, she inhales the scent of the letter. It also smells like cinnamon and starshine.

…

The next year, life gets hard as a second year, as the teachers are piling work up to prepare them for OWLs _(already_?) and suddenly life becomes too demanding. So one night, when the grass is dewy and the stars are bright, Molly brings her red and gold towel outside. Spreading it out on the grass, she lies down on it, and begins to watch the stars.

Footsteps behind her signal an intruder. "What are you doing?"

"Watching the stars," She replies absentmindedly, not even looking up, not even caring. "Haven't you ever wished you could line them up in single file?"

"Line them up in single file?" Lysander looks confused, but spreading out his _obviously borrowed from Lorcan since he forgets everything_ blue and brown coloured towel, he sits down beside her and looks up at the stars. "Why would you want to do that?"

"So you could count them," Molly answers reasonably, as if it should be obvious. "You could see all of them, or see how many times they really _do _circle the Earth. You could compare sizes, or see which ones have already exploded. Life would be so much simpler if the stars were in single-file."

"Another one of those crazy theories, eh?" Lysander grins, running his finger across her arm gently, cause he's _still_ young and innocent, so he can do that without looking like a pervert. "You sound like Lorcan, now. So once you reach the sky, you're going to line the stars up in single-file?"

"Maybe not," Molly shrugs. "It's just a wish. But I'm going to _reach_ the sky for sure."

He nods, considering. "I'm sure you will, someday."

So they lay there in comfortable silence, watching the stars.

….

She receives a Valentine that year from Lysander. On the cover is the words, _You're a Shooting Star._

_Dear Molly,_

_I saw this card and it reminded me of you and your crazy fantasies. Don't worry- you're still the best friend I have. And you shine, kind of like the stars, you know? Especially your insane hair. Bright, but still pretty._

_Anyway, you're gonna reach the sky sometime. I know it._

_Love you still, like a best friend, and a Happy Valentine's Day to you._

_Your friend,_

_Lysander_

Grinning, she folds it up and puts it in her box of Valentines she's received. Her face lights up.

….

Third year comes along, and Lysander makes the Quidditch team as substitute Seeker. The first game, the main Seeker falls off his broom _(well, rather, was pushed off by a rogue Slytherin- Matt Flint_) and sprains his ankle. While Madame Pomfrey carries him off, Lysander's forced into the game.

"What?" he cries. "I'm only a third year! Don't you have someone more experienced to put in?"

"Nope," Coach Wood replies roughly. "Now get in that game, Scamander."

Molly walks over to him. Leaning over to his ear, she whispers, "You're going to do fine, Lys. Just reach for the sky, right?"

"I'll try," Lysander cracks a smile. "And I'll reach for the Snitch, too."

Grinning, she nods. "That too."

And of course, he beats the Slytherin seeker to the Snitch, causing a huge eruption of applause and a win for Gryffindor.

After the game, Molly quietly approaches him. Leaning to his ear, she tells him almost silently, "You've made it to the sky, Lysander."

He stares at her. "What?"

"You've made it to your sky," Molly elaborates. "Your eyes- they're filled with happiness. This is your reaching the sky. This is your _Patronus _memory, to put it in DADA terms."

"I suppose I have," Lysander answers, bewildered. "But, Dreamer, I'm just so amazed."

Smiling, she nods. "I'm so glad."

"Now you've got to reach yours," he points out, small smile playing at his lips.

…

That year, she gets a Valentine with a big Snitch and a beautiful sky on it from Lysander. Below it, it says _Don't Snitch- But You're My Valentine._

On the inside, he's scribbled:

_Dearest Molly Weasley II, my Dreamer,_

_Thanks for helping me to reach my sky. You're going to reach yours soon, I just know it._

_You're still my amazing best friend, you know that, right? Molly and Lysander. We're bound to take over the world sometime, right?_

_I love you still like my best friend._

_From, _

_Lysander_

She notices how he doesn't sign it with a _love_ anymore, but she still smiles and puts it in her box with the rest of them.

…

It's the next year, fourth year, that everything sort of falls apart.

He starts to go out with a girl from _Slytherin_, a girl named _Merilyn Goyle_, a girl that's beautiful and snobby. She must have had many things cast on her to look that way- judging by her father, but still.

He parades her around like she's some _treasure_ or a trophy on a shelf. Really, she could be, she's the most sought-after girl in the school. One thing that Molly doesn't understand is why _he_ chose to date her. He's never been one for cliché.

So smiling, she just watches and waits as her sky fades to black.

No way is she even going for it now.

There's no motivation and no one to encourage her on. He's found his own_ sky_ now- in the form of brown hair and _sky_ blue eyes. So why should he need her, anyway?

She _wishes,_ really, she does.

….

That year, she doesn't get a Valentine. Not that she was expecting one, anyway.

But she's sent him one, just in case.

He doesn't even talk to her or spare her a glance.

Probably because he feels guilty about ditching her for _Merilyn Goyle_. She's always been the better friend out of the two, hasn't she?

Yes, she has, because _obviously_ she's not going off with Slytherin git boys, and she's not ditching her friend. She's _sending _Valentines to her friend, and trying to keep up the friendship. But he's doing _nothing, nothing_.

And he's letting her blue skies fade to black like some musical performance.

Her performance is over.

It's time to take a bow, Molly Weasley. Your dreams of finding your _sky_ are over. You're just another dreamer now, aren't you?

….

But then the next year comes round, and as she'd expected, they break up. _He's_ not interesting (Slytherin) enough for her and she's been cheating on him with Dawson Nott _(because really, every girl cheats on her boyfriend with Dawson Nott at some point_). So maybe she's expecting to get that little piece of her sky back, even if it's not fully.

So one day, they bump into each other on the way to class, and his eyes are _right there_. They're sky blue, as they've always been.

"Hello, Molly," He greets her shakily, formally, as if they weren't best friends for five years.

"Long time no see," She replies coldly, ice evident in her glare. "I suppose now that _Merilyn's_ gone you've decided to come crawling back to me."

His eyes fill with panic. "Molly, I didn't mean it that way. I was just afraid you'd shun me and tell me-"

"Tell you what you need to hear?" Molly hisses. "You knew she wasn't right for you, Lysander! You were afraid I'd put you in your place, is that it?"

"You always knew me so well," Lysander shakes his head. "I was stupid, all right? I was a stupid fourteen year old boy with a big ego who didn't want to be put in his place. You were right, Dreamer, you always are. Is that what you wanted to hear? I should've listened. I shouldn't have ignored you. I should have done this, I should have done that. Is that enough for you?"

Shaking her head solemnly, she just stares at him. "You _shunned _me for almost a year just because of your new girlfriend. You ignored me just because something fresh came along. You _broke_ my sky and turned it all black. Do you know how that feels, Lys?"

Then, red curls splaying out behind her, she turns and walks away.

….

She gets a Valentine from him that year. On the front there's a cat (_her favourite animal_) with a teardrop running down its face. Behind it is a dark sky, filled with clouds and lightning bolts, and the words _I'm Sorry, Valentine_.

_My dear, lovely Dreamer Molly,_

_I'm sorry. How many times can I say that? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did. I was stupid. You can hate me. You should hate me. _

_But I still love you like my best friend. I always did. I was just a scared little Gryffindor, if that contradiction makes any sense._

_I know what that broken sky feels like. Look at the front of my card. That's what I feel like now. Guilty, torn, sad. My _girlfriend_ just broke up with me. Should I feel happy? I don't. I can't. I'm still sorry._

_You're all I have left, Dreamer. Well, you were all I ever needed. Just took me a while to see it._

_I'm sorry, again._

_Yours,_

_Lysander_

There's a pile of gold flowers beside it. Sighing, she picks one up, and then tucks it behind her ear. The letter goes into her box with all the rest.

She then flops down on her bed and begins to dream of clear blue skies that look like Lysander's eyes.

….

The next year, the sun is bright one day, so she just comes outside and sits on a bench, staring up at the sky. The little clouds that are present are white and puffy. Suddenly, someone comes and sits beside her. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she notices Lysander Scamander.

"Forgiven me yet?" He asks perkily, grinning at her.

She blinks at him. "Why do you have to be so annoying all of the time, Lysander?"

"Come on," He sighs, casting his eyes to the ground. "What else do you want me to do? Dance in my underpants?"

"And scar me for life? No, thank you," She replies quickly, eyes still trained on the clouds.

He lets out a breath. "Fine. I get it. You want our friendship to be over."

"I don't," She answers, still not bothering to look at him. "I don't want our friendship to be over. I want you to learn to not be such a jerk all the time. Honestly, have you been taking lessons from _James_?"

Hurt, Lysander stares at her. "No! And I'm not a jerk…._now_. Just give me a chance?"

"Fine." Her blue-green eyes train on him for a bit before she nods. "Fine. But don't let me regret it."

…

She gets a Valentine that year, one that's unlike any other she's received. On the cover, it has a bear soaring through the sky, with the caption _What a Surprise!_

_Dear my amazing best friend Dreamer Molly, _

_Thanks for taking me back, even when I was such a _jerk_. Really, you're the bestest, amazing-est friend I've ever had. I just thought you should know that, since you've been doubting yourself or whatever. Plus, you're a great writer- and advice-giver- and you're smart. Even if you can't play Quidditch to save your life._

_By the way, I have to mention something, or else I might regret it forever. I-just-maybe-might-be-in-love-with-you?_

_What was that, Lysander?_

_I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU._

_Yeah, that._

_Love, _

_Lysander_

A smile lights up her face, and she puts the letter in her trunk, on the top.

Then she runs off to go talk to Lysander.

…

The next year, they're lying on a grassy hill, staring up at the sunshine, hands entwined between them.

"Shame we waited so long," Lysander says, smiling.

She turns over to look at him. "I could've reached my sky a long time ago."

"What do you mean?" Lysander asks, obviously confused.

Leaning over, she places a kiss on his lips. "This," She says in between touching her lips to his. "is my sky, Lysander."

His face lights up. "I'm your sky?"

"And I'm your silver lining," She laughs, smiling at him. "But yes, Lysander, I've reached my goal, I've reached the sky."

"One day," He says, grin still on his face, "I'll take you up in a Muggle airplane and we'll _really_ reach the sky."

"Yes, we will," She confirms, beaming over at her boyfriend. "Then the sky will be ours."

"It already is," He replies, slipping his hand through hers and smiling. "It always was."

….

That year, she gets her final Valentine from him. On the cover is a panda bear in front of a sunset, holding a box that says _Be Mine?_

_Dearest Molly Grace Weasley, the most beautiful Dreamer in the universe, Queen of the Sky,_

_I am honoured that you have decided to open this Valentine. Really, I am. _

_Before we begin, may I just start by saying that you're the most beautiful, talented, amazing girl I know? Because I hate being cliché, but I love being cheesy._

_**Are you tired? Cause you've been running through my mind all day.**_

_Ahem. Anyway, as I was saying, I love you. You know that already, right?_

_So would you consider…. Um…. promising to me? Not promising to marry me or anything, just promising that you'll be mine. Because I never want to let you go again._

_Here I go, being cliché again. Only for you._

_Anyway, I love you, Dreamer, again. Just so you know._

_Love from your amazing boyfriend,_

_Lysander Scamander_

Lying beside his letter is a ring, embedded with a blazing blue gem with white spots. It reminds her of the sky, so she knows why he picked it.

Smiling softly, she slides the ring onto her finger.

Because maybe he's a jerk and all, but he's her jerk, and that was only one time, when he was immature.

Now they're older and they've reached their sky.

_(even if the stars haven't lined up in single-file for them yet_)

**A/N: YAY FOR MOLLY/LYSANDER!**

**This was for my sextuplets- sixtuplets- because you guys are amazing MollyLys shippers, okay? That means you:**

**Rose/Nina**

**Zhie**

**Listen**

**Sid**

**Amy**

**And me :P**

**Oh yes, and this is for Pearl, because she likes Molly/Lorcan and that's just**_ insane_. **We have to change her mind, all right, people?**

**And yes, I am finally finished, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!**

**Think you could make my Valentine's Day happier?**

**REVIEW!**

"_**Someone better call heaven, I think they're missing an angel!**_**"**

**But only if you review.**

**:D**


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